Sunday, 05/08/1994

The Backyard, Bee Cave, TX

 

Let me start by saying the original Backyard was one of my favorite venues in the world. Unfortunately, it died a slow, painful, death at the hands of developers. By the time they “moved” it to it’s new location, it’s famous Hill Country views were blocked out by the likes of Best Buy, Michael’s, Lowes, etc. Watching this beautiful venue get swallowed was painful. I saw so many great shows out there… David Bowie, Phil and Friends (the Q), Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, David Byrne… the list goes on.

Alas, I did not see Phish at the Backyard. I was not yet an Austinite. I can only imagine how great it was as I listen to this show today.

Another RunJim Foam opener gets no complaints here. The DwD has a nice little jam to it. Trey spits fire. I don’t know why I hated this song for so long, but I did. I’ve since grown to love these early versions.

The Stash is really cool, too. I think everyone would agree that Stashes from this era are all stellar. There’s just so much tension in them. Then the Coil outtro is beautiful, as usual. Plus Page ends it with a little blues flourish… never heard that before!

Set two opens with 2001 after a 14-show gap!! That is literally the longest gap in the song’s history. Wow! I wonder why they didn’t play it for a while there? I also wonder why they brought it back on this night.

Then comes this really intense Antelope. I remember seeing the Sugarbush Antelope at the end of summer and being frightened by the darkness that took over. This one is similar. It’s a scary Antelope… but so good!

There’s another really cool breakdown in Ice, too! While I wouldn’t call It’s Ice the song of the year in 1994, I would definitely say 1994 is THE year for It’s Ice. Every one I’ve heard so far is worth hearing. I didn’t really expect that coming into this project. It’s been a wonderful surprise every time! Julius, too. I know I keep mentioning it, but these early Juliuses (Julii?) are stellar!

Finally, the YEM is pretty cool. They kind of sneak into the vocal jam and sneak out of it by starting up Halley’s… which drops hard and fast into GTBT. Solid closing!

A great show… nothing on the night before, but I wish I was there, nonetheless.

Thanks for reading.

 

Sunday, 05/08/1994

The Backyard, Bee Cave, TX

Soundcheck: Loving Cup (intro), Nellie Kane (x2)

Set 1: Runaway Jim, Foam, Axilla (Part II) > Rift, Down with Disease > Bouncing Around the Room, Stash, The Squirming Coil

Set 2: Also Sprach Zarathustra > Run Like an Antelope, It’s Ice > Fee > Julius, Cavern > You Enjoy Myself -> Halley’s Comet > Good Times Bad Times

Encore: Sweet Adeline, Golgi Apparatus

Notes: Stash contained Cannonball teases. Trey sang the verses of Fee through a megaphone. YEM contained a theme from Mission: Impossible tease from Page and a theme from Shaft quote from Trey. Halley’s segued out of the YEM vocal jam. Adeline was performed without microphones.

Setlist courtesy of phish.net.

 

Key Tracks:

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-08/stash

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-08/run-like-an-antelope

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-08/it-s-ice

http://www.phishtracks.com/shows/1994-05-08/you-enjoy-myself